The invention comprises an erasable product such as an erasable label, sign or similar. The erasable product of the invention may be a separate label, sign or similar or may be an integral part of another product such as a book for example.
In many situations a rewritable label is desirable. For example, when a video cassette has been used to record from television, it is typically labelled by writing details of the recorded program on a paper label on the cassette. Blank video cassettes are typically sold with a number of labels shaped to fit on the cassette. However, when the cassette is used again and another item is added to the tape or over-recorded, the details on the label identifying the first recorded item must be crossed out. Soon there is insufficient room to write identifying details on the cassette once the cassette has been used a few times, and in practice users often simply do not bother to label the cassette because of these difficulties. The same labelling problems arise in labelling computer floppy discs for example, folders or files and in various other labelling situations.
Our PCT patent application WO 92/22434 describes a unique erasable and rewritable label consisting of a wax or similar base layer and an upper sheet over the base layer. The label can be written on and erased for reuse by a finger-wipe erasure action.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved or at least alternative form of erasable product such as a rewritable label, a reusable sign or similar.
In broad terms the invention comprises an erasable product, comprising a base layer and an upper sheet extending over the base layer and fixed in relation to the base layer and providing a smooth and substantially wrinkle free top surface to the product, which upper sheet and base layer are sufficiently releasably adhesive together under pressure applied manually on the upper sheet to cause the upper sheet and the base layer to adhere in the localised region of said pressure but to allow the upper sheet to move sufficiently relative to the base layer to separate the upper sheet from the base layer when a users finger or thumb is wiped across the top surface of the upper sheet, the upper sheet also extending over a xe2x80x9cwipe-startxe2x80x9d region adjacent the base layer in which wipe-start region the upper sheet and the base layer are not adhesive together, over which region a users finger or thumb may be placed to begin said movement to separate the upper sheet from the base layer.
The upper sheet and the base layer may be made non-adhesive together in the wipe-start region by not applying material comprising the base layer beneath the upper sheet in the wipe-start region, or by applying a coating which prevents the upper sheet and base layer from adhering together to the under surface of the upper sheet or the top surface of the base layer in the wipe-start region.
The erasable product may be an erasable and rewritable label or an erasable sign. It may have a contact adhesive applied to the rear surface or a part of the rear surface of the label or sign enabling it to be stuck on to a video cassette, computer disc, folder or any other object or item. Instead of having a rear surface carrying the base layer, the base layer of the label and upper sheet above it could be applied directly and permanently to an item such as the cover of a folder, a phone card, a ruler or any other solid object.
In a form of erasable product of the invention which is an erasable and rewritable label, details are written on the upper sheet for example with a blunt instrument such as a blunt stylus, a pen or pencil (preferably the non-marking end so as not to permanently mark the erasable product) or any hard object. To erase the label a user""s finger is wiped under moderate pressure from the xe2x80x9cwipe-startxe2x80x9d region across the label over the written details on the label, which are thereby erased.
The upper sheet is preferably translucent to enhance the contrast between the colour of the base layer and the balance of the upper sheet. The upper sheet may additionally or alternatively be tinted with a different colour relative to the colour of the base layer, so that in the case of a label for example the label normally appears to have the colour of the upper sheet and when written on the writing appears in the colour of the base layer, or in a colour resulting from the combination of the base layer and upper sheet colour. For example, the base layer may be coloured blue and the upper sheet toned yellow; when pressed or adhered together under localised pressure of writing the writing will appear green in contrast to the balance of the yellow upper sheet. The colours may be luminescent or fluorescent. The upper sheet may also be made luminescent or fluorescent or may be lightly embossed with a pattern or logo for example which may be present as a hologram printed onto the upper sheet.
In one form of erasable product which is an erasable sign, the product comprises a contrasting icon or indicia in or below the base layer which icon or indicia is visible through the upper sheet when pressure is applied manually on the upper sheet for example with a blunt writing instrument to cause the upper sheet and the base layer to adhere, and which is made substantially less visible when a users finger or thumb is wiped across the. top surface of the upper sheet from the wipe-start region adjacent the base layer to separate the upper sheet from the base layer. The base layer may be formed in the shape of the icon or indicia as a positive image of the icon or indicia, or as a negative image, or the icon or indicia may be printed on a surface beneath the base layer as a positive or negative image and the base layer applied over said surface as a clear or substantially clear coating.
In another form of erasable sign similar to that described above and which is used similarly the base layer may be continuous and a coating to which the upper sheet will not adhere may be coated over the base layer i.e. the coating is a negative image of the icon or indicia (but could be a positive image). Such a coating may be applied to the underside of the upper sheet instead of to the top of the base layer.
In another form of erasable sign of the invention an icon or indicia is printed on the upper sheet in a colour such that when pressure is applied manually on the upper sheet for example with a blunt writing instrument to cause the upper sheet and the base layer to adhere the icon or indicia is made substantially less visible, and when a users finger or thumb is wiped across the top surface of the upper sheet from said region adjacent the base layer to separate the upper sheet from the base layer the icon or indicia becomes visible. The icon or indicia may be printed on the underside or top of the upper sheet, as a positive or negative image.